Haberal release fans row over jailed MPs

ANKARA

Mehmet Haberal, an imprisoned deputy from the Republican People’s Party was temporarily released to join the funeral of his mother in Zonguldak. DHA photo

Jailed deputy Mehmet Haberal’s temporary release for his mother’s funeral has rekindled calls for a solution to the problem of the eight opposition lawmakers in prison, while the Speaker of Parliament has pointed the finger at the main opposition itself.

The leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, urged Speaker Cemil Çiçek to take action on the issue. “Mr Çiçek, the problem of the jailed deputies is your problem as well. You have to solve this problem. You brought us together for protocols [regarding the status of the jailed deputies]. You have to do what is necessary,” Kılıçdaroğlu said yesterday at the CHP parliamentary group meeting.
Arguing that Haberal could have come to Ankara on April 10 to take his parliamentary oath after the funeral of his mother in the Black Sea city of Zonguldak, CHP deputy Kamer Genç said that Haberal had rejected the proposal. “The gendarme would not have stopped him. This was my personal proposal, Kılıçdaroğlu was not aware of it in advance. But Haberal did not agree with me,” Genç said.

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputy Özcan Yeniçeri lent support to Genç’s suggestion.

Kılıçdaroğlu recalled that Haberal had requested to see his mother before she died, but a draft legislation that would have allowed such a visit was still waiting to be put to the vote in Parliament, despite government promises.

Çiçek, however, put the blame on the CHP, arguing the party had not asked even once for a debate on the draft since it was submitted to the General Assembly on Jan. 15. “They did not bring up the issue in any Advisory Board meeting that I chaired.” Çiçek told reporters in Istanbul.